2016 State Fair of Texas: Visual Arts Highlights

Fried food, carnival rides, the animal barns, and Big Tex are the mainstays of the fair experience, but don’t forget the arts! The 2016 State Fair of Texas opened on Friday, September 30 and extends through October 23. For more information see the website: http://www.bigtex.com

Artwork from the annual Creative Arts contests are on display in the Creative Arts Building. Results are already posted for the Arts: http://bigtex.com/creativearts/caresults/. Check out the prize winners!

An unexpected treat in the Women’s Building this year is the exhibit of the murals from Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling. The visitor can explore the expertly reproduced artwork up close at a distance impossible to achieve in the Sistine Chapel. http://bigtex.com/?s=michelangelo

The Fall Garden Program is back again and includes an outdoor sculpture exhibit . Local artists loan the State Fair sculptures so visitors can enjoy and interact with the artwork. More here: http://bigtex.com/fun/gardenshow/

Fair Park has a long history of spectacular art and architecture, with monumental sculpture and murals from the Art Deco period. A recent book Fair Park Deco, published by TCU Press, is an in-depth look at the design of the Texas Centennial Exposition.